A control device for controlling the information input into a copying machine is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 27840/1982, wherein setting a department card in which a predetermined code number assigned to the department is written enables the copying machine and the number of copies to be stored in the control apparatus. In the control apparatus mentioned above, there is provided an arrangement for preventing false use of the department card, in case the card is lost. In one example, the arrangement operates to register the number of the lost department card in a memory region (referred to as a disabling memory region hereinafter) for inhibiting the use of the copying machine or warning when the lost department case is set falsely in the copying machine.
The above arrangement has a disadvantage in that if the department card is falsely used in a different copying machine in which the number of the department card is not registered in the disabling memory region, the copying machine is activated allowing a false copy.
Such department card is usually delivered for use by a card maker with the department number or identification number written in the card, so that is has been impossible to re-write the department number even by the copying machine maker. Accordingly, when the card is broken or lost, the user or maker of the copying machine must have the card maker produce another fresh card. Therefore, if the department card is lost or broken, the copying machine can not be used until a fresh card is provided.
Furthermore, conventionally, the department cards of the above kind are released after writing a predetermined copying cost, an upper limit of available number of copy and so on on the card make side. However the upper limit of the copying cost and the available number of copies are different user by user, depending on the manner of use. Apparently, it is a complicated work to write various kinds of upper limits of the copying cost and available number of copy. In the prior art, however, such a disadvantage has not been improved upon.